- Usage in publication:
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- Napali formation
- Modifications:
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- First used
- AAPG geologic province:
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- Kauai
Summary:
Named Napali Formation for thin flows that accumulated on flanks of Kauai shield Volcano. Is part of Waimea Canyon volcanic series. Assigned Pliocene(?) age.
Source: GNU records (USGS DDS-6; Menlo GNULEX).
- Usage in publication:
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- Napali formation*
- Modifications:
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- Named
- Dominant lithology:
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- Basalt
- AAPG geologic province:
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- Kauai
Summary:
Named for exposures along Napali Coast on northwest side of Island of Kauai. Type locality is western wall of Waimea Canyon [21 deg 59' 42"N, 159 deg 40' 19"W, Kekaha 7.5' quad] where it is as thick as 2400 ft. Constitutes major portion of shield and extends to ocean floor, thus total thickness is about 19,000 ft. Consists largely of thin flows of olivine basalt, basalt, picrite-basalt (oceanite type). Measured section along Kukui trail on west wall of Waimea canyon is 1140 ft thick. Is separated from Olokele and Haupu formations by boundary faults of calderas. Is separated from Makaweli Formation by eroded fault scarps at edge of Makaweli graben. Text has probably Pliocene(?) age but stratigraphic chart assigns Pliocene age. Map plate assigns late Tertiary age.
Source: GNU records (USGS DDS-6; Menlo GNULEX).
- Usage in publication:
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- Napali Formation*
- Modifications:
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- Geochronologic dating
- AAPG geologic province:
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- Kauai
Summary:
K-Ar ages on lava samples from Napali Formation collected on southern side of shield at 250 ft elevation and high on western rim of Waimea Canyon ranged from 5.72 to 4.44 Ma.
Source: GNU records (USGS DDS-6; Menlo GNULEX).
- Usage in publication:
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- Napali Formation*
- Modifications:
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- Geochronologic dating
- AAPG geologic province:
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- Kauai
Summary:
K-Ar ages on 16 samples of tholeiitic basalt from Napali Formation (collected in Waipao Valley on southern flanks of shield north of Kekaha, west coast near Polihale, and near Haena adjacent to northwest coast) ranged from 5.14 +/1 0.20 to 3.81 +/-0.06 Ma.
Source: GNU records (USGS DDS-6; Menlo GNULEX).
- Usage in publication:
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- Napali Member*
- Modifications:
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- Revised
- AAPG geologic province:
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- Kauai
Summary:
Napali Formation of Macdonald, Davis and Cox (1960) reduced in rank and renamed Napali Member (oldest member of Waimea Basalt. Reference locality: northwestern coast of Island of Kauai (Napali coast). Assigned Miocene(?) and Pliocene based on interpretation of K-Ar ages.
Source: GNU records (USGS DDS-6; Menlo GNULEX).
- Usage in publication:
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- Napali Member*
- Modifications:
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- Geochronologic dating
- AAPG geologic province:
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- Kauai
Summary:
McDougall (1964, 1979) published 22 ages of tholeiitic lavas, mostly from Napali Member. "Three of these are younger than well-dated overlying alkalic flows and so must be incorrect." Best ages for Napali Member therefore appear to be 5.1 to 4.35 Ma.
Source: GNU records (USGS DDS-6; Menlo GNULEX).
For more information, please contact Nancy Stamm, Geologic Names Committee Secretary.
Asterisk (*) indicates published by U.S. Geological Survey authors.
"No current usage" (†) implies that a name has been abandoned or has fallen into disuse. Former usage and, if known, replacement name given in parentheses ( ).
Slash (/) indicates name conflicts with nomenclatural guidelines (CSN, 1933; ACSN, 1961, 1970; NACSN, 1983, 2005, 2021). May be explained within brackets ([ ]).